Routines

There are lots of psychological benefits(1) to setting limits and following a routine based on them.

Routines help us feel safe and in control. They reduce the mental load of regular tasks, and keep everything from being a negotiation with our kids.
We don’t have to evaluate and decide on everything, every day. Too many choices are paralyzing for anybody, and especially with kids, routine and known limits minimize negotiation and haggling.
Predictability feels safe. Knowing what to expect makes us feel in control and is comforting to humans, big and small.
Limits help us stick to a long term plan. We design them in a rational state of mind, analyzing, for example, how much we should sleep to stay healthy, or how much money we should save each month to have a secure retirement. In the heat of emotion about wanting to stay up late or splurge on a purchase, the limit helps us stay the course.

HOW TO DO IT

When establishing routines, try to co-create them with your child as much as possible. This will make them more viable and increase buy-in and cooperation from your child. You may be pleasantly surprised by what they can and want to take on!

1. Preview

When there's any big change in routine, whether a new school, after school activity, care-giver, or schedule at home, it's helpful for kids to preview the new routine with you, prior to gameday.

Talk through as many details of the new routine as possible. Describe what you know about it, why the change is happening, and answer any questions they have.
If there is an opportunity to visit the new place, and / or meet teacher, care-giver or coach, do so.
If possible, reconnect with friends or other kids who will also be in involved in the new routine.

2. Get enough sleep

Going to bed on time can be one of the hardest routines to stick with or get back into. Sleep is essential to learning, as it enhances memory, creativity, and problem solving.

To help your kiddo get to bed earlier, consider adding some rough-housing about an hour prior to going to sleep to solidify your connection.
Give extra time to the bedtime routine, allowing them a calm, relaxed experience of continued connection.
In the morning, wake your child up at the time they need to be up for school, regardless of what time they went to bed. (This may lead to a few days in which they get less sleep than is optimal, but will ultimately lead to better sleeping habits.)

3. Make space for homework

Establish where your child will do homework, and talk through the pros and cons of the space (i.e. if they choose the kitchen counter, they will be close to you, but will not have as much quiet, as if they choose a table in their room).

Also, establish where your child’s backpack goes when they get home from school, and how you sort and store work that comes home.

4. The morning routine

Go through the morning routine with your child.

Together, list everything that needs to be done (if they're young, draw pictures of one).
Talk about pain points, where you things often get tripped up, understand their perspective on the issue, and problem solve together. For example, could some of the work be moved to the night before, such as laying out clothes or having lunch organized?
Talk about what time they need to happen, and write that down.
Assign who is responsible for each thing, making sure to each kid has enough but not too much responsibility.

Write or draw out the final routine with your child. Be a cheerleader in the mornings to implement the new routine, giving yourselves all time to get it right.